The National tribune., 1887-09-22
WILLIAMSBURG.
What a Member or the Cd RI. Saw There.

EDIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have read
considerable in your valuable paper about the
battle Of Williamsburg, ard would like TO tell
what ! saw. / was in Co. X, ID r. L., com
mandcd by Col. Frank Wheaton. In the first
place, we were hurrying up rs fast as the sticky
mud would permit when some cavalry boys
coming from the front passed close TO me.
noticed one man had lost his little toe, the blood
dripping as he rode along. Another had re-
ceived a fearful slash across his back from right
shoulder 10 waist, and blood was coursing down
over his saddle. Although badly wounded, he
appeared 70 be IN good spirits, for he said with
a smile that our fellows were standing right up
TO them and giving them II. lsheoi was
not known al that timel
We pressed on, and finally formed line just
behind knoll, while the battle ragged just over
in the woods in our immediate front Our line
extended as far rs / could see from right to
left. We were lying down, trying to keep our
powder dry and muZzles down, on account OF
one OF those "Nirginny" showers, which had a
way of coming mp 50 unexpectedly.
Soon after the heavy firing ceased VIC were
ordered 10 rise up, when we moved by the right
flank right down into the woods over dead men
and knapsacks-if j remember right they were
Of the 22d AIass.-and took cur position in the
bushes, which were a little higher than our
heads, directly in front of Fort Magrader The
7th Mass Just behind us. Here we had quite
a laugh at our Coi0ne.s expense. Fort Ma
Cruder was throwing missiles very carclessly
in our direction. One Of them coming pretty
low, caused the Colonel 10 dodge behind a large
pine tree. Although we knew that he was all
right, the boys could not help laughing, aud
he cyen laughed himself, which was something
unusual for him.
Soon after be gave the command 10 lie down.
] think / obeyed that order as quickly as any
order j ever received i'm my life. Almost lal-
modiatey there was a tremendous cross lire OF
musketry, which passed over Us, cutting down
the small bushes around US ut about where oui
heads would have been had we stood up The
missile that caused our Coonel to dodge struck
a man in the eth Mass, killing him aud wound
ing several others.
That night / WAS out on picket in charge OF
three others. i was Eighth Corporal at that
time. About midnight l heard the Johnnies
giving orders and, rs / thought. sIiking theil
guns in Fort Magruacr. Next morning ! saw
a long line Of skimishors advance and occupy
the fort. Ny regiment, with Others, WAS soon
ordered M, aud stacked arms near the fort
went into IL, and il was an awful sight The
ground was literally covered with dead mel
and horses. don't think there was a gun bu
was disabled. The ditch around the fort was
about half full of dead men and water. My
regiment and the 9Sth Pa, two squadrons o
cavalry and two batteries started in pursuit o.
the fleeing Johnnics through Williamsburg
and for miles one could see that selfpreserva
tiOn was the first law Of nature. We followed
them up TO Mechanicsvile, where a guideboard
read " Five miles TO Richmond" / was seai
out on picket that night about one and a hal
miles on the turnpike toward the las thought
doomed city, and at daylight could see th'
spires. Then we returned to camp directly
in rear Of Mechanicsyille. There WA
nothing to prevent rs from goiag into Rich
mond that day. If no one turns up aud says
dreamed all this may sometime give an &C
count of what saw afterwaTi.-O. III. r. How
/ ARD, Corporal. Co. X, "a Il. l., Breyet- Major
9th u. s. C. r., Fail River, Mass.